Shariatmadari's visit to Belarus scheduled for late 2003 was announced Friday. It is aimed at increasing economic relations between Belarus and the Islamic Republic, both shunned by the West as authoritarian regimes.

Last year, bilateral trade reached 39 million dollars, Belarussian leader Alexander Lukashenko told Belarussian television on Friday, adding that he hoped to boost that amount. "Iran's interest in Belarus is high, so is Belarus's potential, and that includes areas like technical equipment, education and trade," Lukashenko said, according to AFP.

"We have no differences in political views, or any areas closed to cooperation," he added. (Albawaba.com)